Comics If you had the chance...

[Dark Spidey]

...to meet JMS. Would you go and if so what would you say to him?

I've heard he's doing a signing at my LCS in a few weeks time and at the moment i'm on the fence as to whether to go or not.

While part of me holds his run with John Romita Jr to be absolute solid Spidey gold. Later came The Other, which kinda crapped on all that. As well as the revelation that he didn't even know Aunt May's maiden name!

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Y'know I have a feeling some people are going to say some pretty nasty stuff. I'm not a fan, but here's my advice... if you want JMS to actually LISTEN to your criticism instead of ignoring you or telling you to "get lost", the best way to approach him is with the respect a professional deserves. Make sure your criticism is reasoned, polite, level-headed and NEVER PERSONAL. Also, if you really want him to take stock in what you have to say, you should pretext your criticism with praise or atleast a formal compliment.

Personally, I wouldn't even bother talking to him. All his Spidey work including "One More Day" is already in the can.

 

[SpideyInATree]

I'd go meet the guy and tell him he had a decent Spider-Man run. Then I'd get a couple of my Spidey issues signed and leave it at that. I never really had much of a problem with JMS' run until Sins Past and then when they kind of pooed on the fate part of Spider-Man with The Other. But, other than that, JMS has done a pretty sweet job.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

He did a pretty poor job with the Civil War tie-in imo.

 

[ragingdemon155]

Really? I thought some of his better work was the Civil War tie in issues.

From start to finish though he did a decent job. His best storyline was still the first Morlun vs. Spidey arc. Reads beautifully in tpb form. "The Other" however is easily the worst Spider-man story I've read in my life.

 

[WOLVERINE25TH]

Loved Real Ghostbusters.

 

[CrimeMaster!]

I was never really crazy about JMS's run,didn't care for the totem stuff ,but there are 2 things I think he did well.

1.His Spider-man/Peter is pretty funny

2.Fleshing out Aunt May's character

Overall I will be happy to see a change and I look forward to the new team.

 

[venom892]

If I meet him I'd get my coming home trade signed and then comment on he made aunt may interesting,Peter funny and had a great run awith JR jr. and then say I stopped reading due to sins pat and leave.

 

[Spade]

"How can someone who writes so well think everything that has happened to Peter past The Book of Ezekiel is a good idea?"

 

[The Schweitz]

I met him at the New York Comic-Con. I had him sign #500 of ASM. I told him that I really enjoyed the issue and his run (didn't want to be a dick and tell him that I actually only liked the JRjr. part. Would just be rude). After I complimented him he just kind of smiled and had this look on his face that said "well of course it was a good issue...I wrote it." But not in a way that makes you go "Wow, that guys awesome." It was more like "Wow...kind of unfriendly and...might not buy Thor now..."

Who knows though, maybe he was just having a rough day. Doesn't take away the fact that he's written SOME great Spidey comics. I say meet him if you've enjoyed any of his work and he'll be there.

 

[kguillou]

JMS had a real good run on Spiderman, things just went a lil haywire with Sins Past and the Other. But JMS has a almost perfect grip on the character of Peter Parker/ Spider-man. And for what it's worth, the Other was good up until Morlun killed Spidey, did we even find out what Peter's illness was? Wasnt that the purpose of the story?

 

[Spade]

And for what it's worth, the Other was good up until Morlun killed Spidey, did we even find out what Peter's illness was?

It was supposedly caused in the first place because Peter was rejecting his spider origins, which is a roundabout way of saying "if Peter was never forced to 'hibernate' he would have died anyways"...which is hokey IMHO.

 

[SlyDark Star]

"So whose the guy that has to clean up your mess?"

 

[CConn]

"Hey, are you JMS?"

"Yeah."

"Cool. Later."

That's how I'd play it.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

JMS had a real good run on Spiderman, things just went a lil haywire with Sins Past and the Other. But JMS has a almost perfect grip on the character of Peter Parker/ Spider-man. And for what it's worth, the Other was good up until Morlun killed Spidey, did we even find out what Peter's illness was? Wasnt that the purpose of the story?

IMO, 'The Other' was never good. And it wasn't all JMS's fault. Hudlin had some really crappy chapters too. The whole thing was an unwieldly exercise in disjointed storytelling. Even the bloated crossovers of the 90's had more coherence and consistency.

I mean, wasn't there some weird Hudlin chapter where Pete decides to go to Wakanda for some reason and get his hair braided by Black Panther's nubian princesses? That didn't seem like a pointless, shameless tie-in to Hudlin's BP book. And then MJ and Aunt May suited up in Iron-Man armor. I've tried to delete that dreck from my memory but unfortunately alzheimers' can't be induced voluntarily. Not a fan of 'Sins Past' but atleast with one writer it was consistent from chapter to chapter. Too many cooks in the 'Other' kitchen led to a really messy, crappy, overseasoned literary meal.

 

[Dark Spidey]

Well it's getting close now. Only two days to go and I still can't decide if i'm going to the signing or not.

 

[K.B.]

I have had the chance to meet him twice and never really took it. One summer he was at the big con and we were sitting down waiting for the next person to come and sign and his line was dead..he noticed I had Spider-man 36 signed by Romita and wanted to know if I wanted it signed. I said "no thanks maybe later" all cuz I didnt want to get up. The following april he was at another con and was NEVER at his table he was always just walking around. I got my 36 signed but I got a friend to go up to him to do it.

 

[bholliday]

The signings at forbidden planet right?

I'm debating whether to go aswell . I personally find that whilest he has had a couple of the worst spidey stories of all time (that completely shat on the spidey mythos) he for me revived the character and rejuvinated the book.

Only two days to decide.

 

[K.B.]

Here is some advice...just get the early stuff signed then say somethign like "I really enjoyed your early run on spidey" that way your not a dick in a roundabout way.

 

[Dark Spidey]

The signings at forbidden planet right?

I'm debating whether to go aswell . I personally find that whilest he has had a couple of the worst spidey stories of all time (that completely shat on the spidey mythos) he for me revived the character and rejuvinated the book.

Only two days to decide.

Yeah that's more or less exactly how I feel about him too. And why i'm questioning whether or not to go.

The run he had with John Romita Jr... He just impressed me so much with the stories sophistication. I don't know, maybe it was all the relationship stuff between Peter and MJ, May finally sharing in the secret, or Peter becoming a Teacher at his old school... But it just felt like Spider-Man for grown-ups!

But then came along "Sins Past" and "The Other"... kinda tainted all that, as well as my respect for the guy.

 

[bholliday]

I'm probably gonna do down Dark Spidey.

 

[Doc_OCK_4MUGEN]

me:"you JMS?"
JMS:"yes"
Me:"You are a writer on Amazing Spider-man?"
JMs:"yes"
Me: "I liked Your 80s cartoon work..."

Not really but I'd compliment him on getting Pete and MJ back together, and on his refreshing take on Aunt May.

 

[Dark Spidey]

I was there. But I didn't bother getting anything signed. All I could think was "You're the guy who gave Spider-Man stingers!? Stingers for crying out loud!".

I just hope "One More Day" does away with all of that crap. But that still won't erase it from my memory!

 

[bholliday]

I got a few bits signed and asked if he could give me any hints about one more day. He said that Joe Quesada would kill him if he did, but it deals with a lot and will have him running for the hills.

I then asked him if it would be controversial....He looked at me and said with distinct sarcasm; " I never write controversial stories".

 

[Rez]

I would love to meet him, but I don't know if I'd seek him out.

I'd bring up Rising Stars first and foremost as one of my favourite stories, then mention how much I liked Ezekiel as a Spiderman character, and thats about it. No need to tear people apart for something that can just as easily be ignored.